Plum Blossom
by Sachiko V
Summary: Yorihisa is left to take care of a half drunk Tenma. BL warning.


Title: Plum Blossom

Series: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de

Pairing: Yorihisa/Tenma

Rated: PG-13

Warnings: OOCness, lame humor

Author's Notes: This was inspired by Rady's drawing. XD

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Yorihisa gave out another sigh and wondered how he had let this happened. His right arm was around the boy's waist while his left hand held onto the limb that was around his shoulder, guiding him to his room.

He glanced down. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, now leggoo of me," Tenma said, pulling his left arm away. His right hand was still holding onto a flask of sake.

"You're in no condition of walking on your own," Yorihisa retorted, "unless you want to run into a wall again."

"Ah shut up! It's just because I was blind in the darkness… and cuz of the stupid drink." He managed to whisper the last part. Tenma clutched onto his forehead at the reminded pain that surfaced, though he didn't know whether it was that or the alcohol in his system stirring his head. He let out another growl.

They both approached the wooden stairs and climbed slowly. At least a full moon illumined the ground, or else it would have been invitation to trip on the stairs. Instead of entering the washitsu room, Tenma settled for sitting at the edge of the porch platform. Fresh air was nice. Yorihisa just took a seat next to him on the left. There was a moment of silence that allowed the boy to recover slightly.

"You know…"

Yorihisa blinked.

"You really should've seen me compete with that guy with sideburns… What's his name again? Daichi? Or was it Daiki? He stopped at just three flasks, and I thought /I/ was an amateur at drinking," he grinned. "But I admit that other newbie was quite skilled that even I was impressed."

"Noo-bee?" 

"I mean, the new guy."

It was true. Every time there was a new member in the bushidan, the whole band of warriors would organize a drinking assembly as a way of welcoming him. Of course, when Tenma first joined, he turned it down since he was quite bitter about the whole idea of staying in Kyo and had no desire to be affiliated with anyone. All he wanted was to be skilled enough to sufficiently protect those important to him. Still, his jovial personality and determination easily got him welcomed, and as he came by the bushidan more often with Yorihisa, he slowly decided to become more involved.

…Hence tonight. Tenma was practically as thrilled as the new member himself, being encouraged by others to drink as much as they want, jumping and drinking from one group to another as they were summoned. He probably knew as much of his own capacity as he did in sword… which meant he knew very little.

"Ya know what he told me?" Tenma snickered drunkenly. "He said he admires you and wants to become a 'strong samurai' like you." He began to nudge the man with his elbow. "Did you know you have fans?"

Yorihisa's bangs concealed the slight embarrassment on his face. "I do not think I have time to devote to these types of matters."

"Oh come on, tell me you at least /know/ they exist around you!"

"I've never seen my status as something to think highly of. After being a warrior some time, you don't see it as a reward but merely a duty that weights on your shoulder. I neither favor it nor despise it."

Tenma tilted his head. "Why are you talking more than usual today?"

"……"

"Anyways, that's too bad," Tenma shrugged, "since I'd do anything right now to get to where you are too."

With that, Yorihisa almost found himself smiling. Maybe it was his turn to push the buttons since the boy insisted that they were on the same ground. No formality needed. "So Tenma, you're saying you are one of my admirers."

Orange eyes widened. "Like hell I'd be a fan of a woodhead bastard like you!" He quickly turned away, half cursing the sake again for amplifying the heat onto his cheek -and the rest of his face as well for that matter-. Alas there was nothing to cover it.

Yorihisa saw it, much to Tenma's dismay, but he found it somewhat charming. Usually the boy was so full of pride that seeing this…almost vulnerable side of him was an interesting change. The samurai shook his head at the thought.

"But… you do fight with a very, uh, graceful and swift style." Heart pulped. Oh yes. Definitely the sake talking.

"I take that as a compliment."

Tenma forced himself to look at something else. The full moon. It made him wonder... Even through the distant time, were they looking at the same moon the whole time? He peaked at Yorihisa's direction, taking notice how the moonlight shone on the blue strands of hair that seemed to frame his handsome features perfectly…

Halt. What was he thinking just now? Tenma rubbed his temples, blaming wooziness swirling his head again. He had just decided he was quite drowsy. "I'm going in." Tenma got up and walked two steps into the room, realizing the unfamiliarity only a little too late. It was a lot more spacious than he remembered, more tatami and more belongings laid out. "This is your room."

"…I figured it was closer than yours in walking distance," Yorihisa justified and paused for a moment, "or I will walk you back to your room if you want."

Tenma sighed in defeat. "It's fine. I'll just stay here tonight." He suddenly sniffed around and found the scent really comforting and… alluring. He whispered to himself.

Yorihisa blinked. "Did you say something?" He received a head shake for a reply; then eyes fell onto the extra flask that was still sitting on the porch. He reached over and grabbed it. "What do you want to do with this?"

Tenma grinned. "Want to split it?"

Yorihisa's forehead creased. "Were you not tired a few minutes ago?"

"Few last sips won't hurt. Besides, I'm not going anywhere."

The samurai returned the grin with a nod and took two steps into the room as well. Both now sitting down, Yorihisa drank the first half, but Tenma grabbed it away swiftly, accusing him of hogging it all to himself. He could see the flush forming again as the boy consumed the rest of the drink up. Yorihisa watched as a tiny trail of sake leaked from the side of the redhead's mouth, feeling the urge to help him clean it away… He reached out and wiped it with his thumb; the skin was soft under his fingers that were so used to weaponry.

Tenma shook at the cold touch and looked up with questioning eyes. For a moment, he wasn't sure how to react. His mind was blurred from the combination of the sake and this unknown intoxicated scent. Tenma crawled closer instinctively, not sure at the moment why he was doing so, until he was nearly resting on the man's shoulder.

Yorihisa looked toward the flock of orange hair, slightly taken back at the warm body now leaning against his broader form. He lightly pushed the shoulders backwards. "Tenma…?"

He knew why now and grinned again. "You smell like baika," the redhead muffled back. He remembered reading something about how garments in ancient times were scented overnight by the smoke of the incense as perfume. No wonder he felt so comfortable in the room.

It was his favorite incense.

As Tenma attempted to snuggle closer, Yorihisa moved back and stared at him nervously.

There's that look again. The questioning, expressive, orange orbs, glistened from the moonlight… and the red shade that spread across the redhead's face involuntarily. Yorihisa tried to force himself to look away and keep his composure. He would have been successful if it were not for that ridiculous… addictive smile, the one he saw so often when Tenma was with the priestess, now flashing on the boy's face. Yorihisa had already lost count of the times he stole glances at that expression from afar and got irritated how it moved him.

Tenma gently stroke Yorihisa's bangs away from his face. "I supposed it wouldn't be a bad idea to stay here tonight after all with you and this scent."

Now they were only centimeters apart that they could practically feel each other's heartbeats. Orange and indigo eyes met, both of them searching into the deep pools and recognizing insecurity, question, and even… desire. Their gazes were in a deadlock, waiting for each other's permission to cross the invisible line present in silence. Tenma grunted. He reached behind Yorihisa's neck to pull him down and close the distance between them with a light, chaste kiss.

Yorihisa thought his breathing just stopped, as it took him a short while before registering the warm lips now pressed against his. He slowly brought an arm to encircle Tenma's waist and the other hand to the lean nape, closing the gap between their bodies. Tenma's free hand pressed onto his chest. He slowly deepened the kiss, giving into the need to act upon affections that had been inside him a long time ago. Yorihisa could taste sake that still lingered as he gradually explored Tenma's mouth. It was golden and bitter, but apart from it all, the kiss was… like a spark of fire spreading all over gradually, and somehow he must get hold of it.

The sake… He remembered. It was most likely the sake that caused the teen to act this way, though somewhere deep inside he wished the affection was somehow… mutual. No. He could not afford to be delusional. And he definitely could not take advantage of someone who was half delusional. With that thought, Yorihisa released from the kiss. Both of them tried to catch their breaths, though he could tell Tenma was more exhausted from the heavier panting.

"You should rest," Yorihisa said softly. Before Tenma could reply, he was carried bridal style by the samurai toward the laid out futon and was carefully situated into it. Yorihisa helped Tenma untie the obi to take the bulky cerulean hitatare away from the boy's waist and then placed the garment aside.

"…'the hell're you so gentle for?" Tenma muttered hoarsely.

Yorihisa blushed at the comment, not only because of the awkwardness of his action, but also because it sounded as if Tenma implied he was doing something /else/. He did not reply but merely grabbed the layers of covers and tugged the boy in. Tenma would have retorted if it was not so comfortable, so he gave in and closed his eyes.

"Where're you gonna sleep?"

"Don't worry about it." Yorihisa got up to go change out of his gears.

Tenma opened his eyes, looking at any other direction but the samurai's. In a mellow voice, he responded, "…It's fine."

That got Yorihisa off guard. "What?"

"There's enough room for two."

"……"

"Don't make me repeat it. My head's killin' me." Eyes closed again, and fatigue took over.

Yorihisa gave out a short sigh and a smile left unseen by anyone. He changed into a simple yukata and quietly walked to the vacant side of the futon. He slowly lifted the blankets so that little heat would escape, for he knew alcohol caused the body to lose a lot of it quickly to the surroundings. He quickly slipped under the covers, looking toward the ceiling, fixating on this strange situation and the strange occurrences between them tonight…the unexpected kiss that completely got him reeling in thoughts. He wondered how much his companion would remember the next day and how much could be explained rationally without the boy growling at him and denying…which he concluded there would be none, because the truth was as rational as it could get.

Suddenly he felt Tenma's body slowly and subconsciously shifting toward him as it was attracted to the body heat of another person... or maybe the incensed clothing. Yorihisa winced, for this did not help the already awkward tension instigated by the kiss back there. Any innocent contacts would not register properly to him…not when his veiled affections were at play. However, the rigidity was remedied when Tenma emitted tiny shivers, inquiring for warmth and security, as simple as that. Another form of reliance. Otherwise the boy would never have had allowed the samurai to be next to him, no matter how driven by the sake he was.

Yorihisa turned and his lips lightly brushed on Tenma's cheek. He closed the gap between them and allowed orange hair to nuzzle against his neck. He would have to worry about the aftermath –including the hangover– the next day, at least not until dawn broke the embrace.

-FIN-

Author's Notes: "Baika" translates to "plum blossom," the title of the story. It is true. If you see the game profiles of the Haruka1 characters, the Seiryuu members share the favorite incense. Originally I planned to work a lime into the fic…but somehow it didn't seem to fit. ducks from tomatoes Apparently the March AND May 2007 LALA DX issues have color pages of the Seiryuu together. Hmm. Geez I wonder why. Anyhow, seeing the May issue one reminded me to finish this, so fic finally done after a 2-months halt. ♥


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